Offbeat San Francisco

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Back to San FranciscoSan Francisco: Best Offbeat Travel Experiences

A Soul-Stirring Sunday Morning Service at Glide Memorial Church: Every city has churches, but only San Francisco has the Glide. An hour or so with Reverend Cecil Williams and his exuberant gospel choir will surely shake your soul and let the glory out, no matter what your religious beliefs may be -- everybody leaves this Tenderloin church spiritually uplifted and slightly misty-eyed.

A Cruise through the Castro: The most populated and festive street in the city is not just for gays and lesbians (although the best cruising in town is right here). Although there are some great shops and cafes, it's the people-watching here that makes the trip a must. If you have time, catch a flick at the beautiful 1930s Spanish colonial movie palace, the Castro Theatre.

Skating through Golden Gate Park on a Weekend: C'mon! When's the last time you've been skating? And if you've never tried skating before, there's no better place to learn than on the wide, flat main street through Golden Gate Park, which is closed to vehicles on weekends.

Catching Big Air in Your Car: Relive Bullitt or The Streets of San Francisco as you careen down the center lane of Gough Street between Ellis and Eddy streets, screaming out "Wooooeee!" as you feel the pull of gravity leave you momentarily, followed by the thump of the car suspension bottoming out. Wimpier folk can settle for driving down the steepest street in San Francisco: Filbert Street, between Leavenworth and Hyde streets.

AsiaSF: The gender-bending waitresses -- mostly Asian men dressed very convincingly as hot-to-trot women -- will blow your mind with their lip-synched show tunes, which take place every night. Bring the parents -- they'll love it.

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